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10 Ways to Buy Organic on a Budget
I love organic farming. To me, anything that is pure and natural is always better than synthetic and chemically treated. However, with six mouths to feed every day, organic products can add up. I decided that in order to meld my ideals with my lifestyle, I needed to learn how to buy organic products on a budget.
While I’m still not 100% organic, I make a conscious effort to source out products and produce in order to fit our budget. I may always buy organic varieties of the Dirty Dozen, but what about everything else? I have found that the more I do it, the better at it I am, and the truth is, you can buy real food on a budget.
1. Grow your own. Start a backyard garden, and grow a few vegetables on your space. If you don’t have a yard or have very limited space, consider a small container garden for herbs. Herbs are expensive, and growing them is a huge money saver. You could also look into a community garden plot.
2. Look into joining a CSA, Community Supported Agriculture, where you buy shares at a local farm. These are often cheaper for the amount of produce you’ll be getting every week. There are different plans to choose from, so shop around and find what works best for your family. Find a CSA near you.
3. Buy organic foods in bulk. A membership to a warehouse club can help maximize your buying potential when it comes to organic foods. For example, I know that a 10-pound bag of organic quinoa at my Costco is $10.99. That’s less than a 3-pound bag at the grocery store.
4. Sign up for clubs and programs. Several stores will have customer loyalty programs that can maximize your dollar when you purchase there. Use the money you save to put into spending the extra amount on organic foods and products.
5. Use coupons to buy organic. More and more organic companies are putting out coupons on a regular basis. Take a moment to look for them before heading to the store. Check out this helpful guide to finding organic coupons online and print your own here, and then visit frugal coupon and deal blogs and search for “organic” to find what deals may currently be available.
6. Buy food that is in season. Food that is fresh and available in abundance is always cheaper than food that has traveled halfway across the globe. Buy it now while it’s available for cheap, and then preserve it through canning and blanching and freezing for use in the winter months.
7. Cook at home. Cooking at home saves money, first of all, and all the cash you would spend tipping a waiter or on a beverage at the restaurant can be put towards buying more organic foods for your family. Need inspiration? Search huge databases of recipes that will get you interested in spending some quality time in the kitchen.
8. Buy from your farmer’s market. A lot of times, you can find farmers using organic practices right in your own town or close by (but may not always be certified). Spend a Saturday (or whatever day your market is open) browsing the rows and talking to the people that actually grow the plants and harvest the food. Support local businesses and fill your fridge with fresh produce at the same time.
9. Compare prices at different stores. I’ve learned through comparison shopping that my local Target has several organic items cheaper than the non-organic ones or at the same price. I also know the local grocer can get me organic bulk foods at the same price I could purchase non-organic at a grocer down the road. Knowing the places where I shop and the prices of products I’m looking for has allowed me to make more educated purchases when it comes to buying organics.
10. Set a dollar limit for yourself. My cousin and his wife set a limit for how much more an organic product is to a non-organic product. If the organic product falls within that range, they will spend the extra money to get it organic. Setting a price range can be a good way to manage how much you’re actually spending on organics versus non-organics.
That’s how we manage our money and still buy organic products. Do you have any tips for purchasing them at a lower price?
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8 Comments
[...] to grow a garden or even shop at the farmers market, how do you buy organic on a budget? Here are 10 ways to stretch your “organic” dollar. Do you have any great tips to [...]
Clean Plates N.Y.C.: News, insights, and commentary on a delicious revolution » Organic for Less? commented on Aug 06 10 at 9:12 amjo commented on Jul 16 10 at 2:09 amwow. thank you SO MUCH for this. it’s exactly what i need right now. i’m trying to buy more and more organic but i’m spending more and more money! this is going to be so much help.
Robin commented on Jul 16 10 at 3:27 pmI am committed to buying organic milk for my toddler, but I must say, it is soooo much more expensive. Every once in a while I waver, and then I see another news story that reminds me why I’m paying $7 for a jug of milk.
Magnoliama commented on Jul 16 10 at 10:34 pmI would also add that you should join a food co-op. Our co-op has specials every month just for members as well as wonderful sales for everyone. They also do this awesome thing on the tenth of the month where members get 10% off of their entire purchase. We buy all of our dry goods and some of our produce on the 10th and save tons.
Another thing that we do that saves money is buying directly from farmers and have back yard chickens. Our chickens aren’t totally organic, but they cost about $6/month for 8 dozen eggs. We get milk straight from a dairy with a group from our neighborhood and buy our meat from a local farmer as well. We save dollars per pound on the meat and it’s awesome supporting responsible, local farmers.
MamaCooks commented on Jul 17 10 at 9:32 amRe No. 8: Be sure to ask how non-organic produce is grown. The strawberry stand I frequent has a selection of organic berries, but they’re grown the same way as the less expensive berries. The non-organic berries are grown at another field that’s awaiting organic certification — meanwhile, they cost less. You’ll probably find a few farmers who are pesticide-free if not fully organic, but aren’t certified organic.
tigerfish commented on Jul 18 10 at 11:14 amThanks for your tips. I was thinking of getting myself on a CSA pgm too :) …I try to buy organic too….esp the dirty dozen.
nourishthespirit commented on Aug 09 10 at 5:01 pmKnow what foods are higher priority to buy organic, like certain produce. Refer to EWG’s guide to the Dirty Dozen – produce high in pesticides, which often includes all the berries, for ex. Stick to buying those in organic form. Look for last minute deals at your farmer’s market. In San Francisco I often get peaches and other important organics at a lower price when the markets begin to wind down.
Komputery commented on Mar 29 11 at 5:34 amI suppose it depends on how you look at it. There’s usually another way.
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